Ellen Camhi, the DTC chairwoman, said the board is losing a valuable member in Pollard, but is gaining another talent in the nomination of former Board of Education Chairman Dudley Williams, who is likely to replace Pollard on the ballot this year.

His fellow board members and city officials said Pollard's business sense set him apart and gave him a unique perspective on the financial workings of the city.

"He has a different point of view," Sandra Dennies, Stamford's director of administration, said. "He was always cognizant of the reductions in the budget process and the impact they would have on municipal services."

During his chairmanship this year, the fiscal board cut the mayor's proposed budget of $454 million with a 6.8 percent tax hike, to a $440 million budget with a 3.39 percent tax increase, eliminating pay raises and step increases for 10 city unions.

During budget deliberations, Pollard was the sole board member to vote against cuts toward police, fire and education budgets, in conjunction with the findings of a citizen survey on financial priorities that ranked fire, police and schools as the residents' top concerns this year. The survey, now in its second year, was a brainchild of Pollard's.

"The input to the Board of Finance has historically consisted of people who come to the meeting -- there are not a lot of those, phone calls we get -- not a lot of those -- and the public hearing we do once a year," he said. "That is not sufficient to make good decisions."

Pollard also relied on expert advice and never shied away from leaving the board's fourth floor office to meet with other city departments, colleagues said.

He brought in a representative from the Business Council of Fairfield County for economic assessments and a state union mediator to advise the board on contract negotiating.

"He presented things in an even-handed manner "¦ and he was often able to cite studies going on in the industry," fellow Democrat and board member Tim Abbazia said

The board needs to look further ahead, armed with better information, Pollard said.

"The board needs detailed operating intelligence that allows them to make much more precise decisions," he said.

Pollard plans to continue in government and politics, he said, though he did not want to go in to details. For now, he added, he might pursue community-oriented programs.

Staff writer Devon Lash can be reached at 964-2242 or devon.lash@scni.com.